I actually prefer a closed system for a phone, as long as a good variety of apps is available and you can get a devkit for not much money.
I'm not interested in getting malware on my phone, or on software that crashes. On my PC that is a different matter, but on my phone, I want the OS protected.
As for the antenna problem, it certainly is an issue for some, but I haven't had a dropout yet, I guess I just don't hold my phone that way or our coverage is good enough.